Bearclaw Valley all i want

jasmine. the words are a deep rumble from his chest, one she feels in her paws. just one word that ignites something inside of her, profound and overwhelming. sweltering, threatening to broil over and consume her whole. the skin beneath tattered fur heats enough to rival the cold that waits outside her den. 

her withers ruffle on instinct, at the gentle touch to her hip. another hitched breath, a tremble that threatens to shoot down her spine like a bolt of lightning. that heat spreads to her lungs, her aching heart, her nerves. 

what is he doing to her? 

what is she doing to him?

she smiles at him. it's small and warm. bashful and nervous, because he made it so hard to breathe or to focus. out of her cage she crawls, ready to stretch clipped wings. ready for a shred of normalcy, a breath of fresh air. ready to be by his side and stay there, as she was tethered to him now. 

brushing against his side, marking him with the scent he seemed to enjoy so much. "thank you," she murmured. "for letting me come with you, and for saving me. i—" words catch in her throat. choking on her own tongue, because there was so much more she wished to say. 

"i will stay close."